Thursday, 2 July 2015

Ford Foundation Partners Terra Kulture On Theatre In Public Spaces

By Anote Ajeluorou

The late Herbert Ogunde and Duro Ladipo
were household names back in colonial times and shortly after with their public
space theatres that roved around neighbourhoods, with mere palm fronds
sometimes serving to screen off the performance area. Even when the colonial
government banned Ogunde for the seditious nature of his performances and would
not allow him use of the few theatres available, the famous culture icon took
to neighbourhoods and endeared himself to ordinary folks who would ordinarily
not go to theatre to see plays on stage.

But that idea of theatre in public or open spaces, also known as street
or neighbourhood theatre, died a long time ago, with the ascendancy of the
Greeco-Roman stage taking over with the proliferation of Theatre Arts
Departments in universities. But apart from the theatre spaces in universities
for students’ use, fewer stages are built outside of campuses. Thus, apart from
the National Theatre, Lagos, and Music Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Centre, also
in Lagos, there are no other purpose-built theatres in the vast theatrical
space called Nigeria for the practice of theatre! Inevitably, this has stunted the
growth of theatre practice, what with added poor patronage and sponsorship,
even as a few diehard practitioners have braved the odds to periodically stage
plays to keep the sector alive.

But this depressing theatre landscape will soon change starting this
month, precisely Saturday, June 27, 2015. The testing ground for the revival of
public space theatre is Bishop Howells Memorial Grammar School, St. Finbars
Road, Akoka, Bariga, Lagos. Time is 4pm. The play in context is Batonga, a story about child trafficking
and how parents need to watch out for those who offer dubious work to their
children in foreign lands. To direct the play is dance coach Gbenga Yusuf, who
choreographed dances for the explosive performance, Saro the Musical. This will happen courtesy of a partnership just
struck between two culture promoters, Terra Kulture and Ford Foundation.

The
stated aim of the public space theatre partnership is to “use the platform to
propagate social messages, create awareness about the potentials of careers in
the theatre, create employment and economic benefits and get children off the
streets, encourage investment in theatre and theatre infrastructure and create
a source of recreation and entertainment to families that ordinarily will not
engage in recreational activities by taking theatre entertainment to their
neighbourhoods”.

In a media briefing last week, boss of Terra Kulture Mrs. Bolanle
Austen-Peters and West Africa Representative of Ford Foundation Innocent
Chukwuma were enthusiastic about the new project, which they said had been long
in coming, and they are working hard to realise this new frontier for theatre.

A joint statement from both parties said, “Theatre in public spaces
initiative is intended to show that theatre can thrive even when there is no
purpose-built infrastructure. We believe talent and creativity should not be
limited or held back by want of proper facilities, but that we can make do with
what is available and by being innovative and creative we can use what we have
to get what we want. We believe that success with this initiative will inspire
the growth and proliferation of neighbourhood theatres, help develop talents,
create employment and help get children off the streets.

“We are taking theatre to public schools, parks, playgrounds and open
spaces easily accessible to children and the youth. We will focus on plays with
social messages that are educative, informative and capable of instigating
change. This is a way of giving back to and influencing positive change in
society. It’s strictly a not-for-profit project. We will invite public schools
in the neighbourhoods to arrange for their students to attend. We will also
reach out to community associations to help spread word about the play coming
to their neighbourood”.

Chukwuma, who said Ford Foundation was happy to be returning to its area
of primary concern, which is promoting arts and culture, a vision the last
administration veered off from, commended Terra Kulture’s revolutionary
transformation of theatre practice in the country and affirmed that his
organization was happy with the collaboration.

According
to him, “Terra Kulture has revolutionised theatre as it used to be before Nollywood films took over. Ford
Foundation is coming back to our legacy programming in arts and culture. We
have a new leadership that is revamping the arts and culture programme. We’re
exploring new ideas on arts and culture, which are known barrier-breakers the
world over. Other advocacy programme formats tend to pitch ‘us’ against ‘them’
and elicit resistance from intended target audience. But when such programmes
are delivered through the medium of the performative arts, they become easily
assimilated, even if it’s on subjects that are usually resisted”.

Also, Chukwuma anchored the anticipated success of theatre in public
spaces on overpricing of theatre or plays held in upscale venues that were often
out of the reach of the poor segment of society. He said, “We think that the
poor like art and culture, but it’s usually not a priority for them because of
the cost. We need to bring back theatre to the generality of the masses. The
poor appreciate arts; we need to invest in poor neighbourhoods where the
talents abound”.

He argued the great footballers, musicians, writers and film stars and
other creative geniuses don’t usually come from highbrow neighbourhoods, but
poor ones. Ironically, these same folks from poor neighbourhoods are denied the
benefits of see stars made among them on stage because of overpriced tickets.

Batonga is a 25-man cast production.
Tolu School Complex, Apapa, is another venue being considered after the Bariga
show this weekend.